How Can I Get My Child to Brush and Floss Properly?

It is necessary to start dental care at an early age. Learning good dental care habits at an early age is crucial for long-term dental health. Your kids need your help flossing and brushing their teeth until they get around age 7.

Being parents, it is your duty and responsibility to teach your children how to brush properly. There are several ways you can develop good dental habits in your children.

Here are some important tips on how you can do it in the right way:

Teach your child that brushing teeth takes time

●  According to most dentists, minimum recommended brushing timing is 2 minutes.
●  Teach them to floss or brush first.
●  Set a timer or you can play a song to ensure they are brushing long enough.

Go over the basic steps

●  Tell them how to hold their brush, holding a brush at a 45-degree angle against the gum line is a perfect way.
●  Tell them to brush every tooth gently, every time.
●  Tell them to start brushing from the tooth base to the chewing surface.
●  Use short and round strokes for the back and front teeth.
●  Use short and sweeping strokes for the chewing surfaces.
●  Brush the roof and tongue of the mouth from back to front.
●  Tell them to be consistent in brushing across every tooth.

Teach them the finer points of flossing

●  Floss at least once in a day to remove little food particles stuck between teeth.
●  Teach them how to use the floss properly.
●  Tell them how to hold the floss. Pinching the floss between the index finger and thumb is the best way to hold a floss.
●  Insert the floss between two teeth gently using a forth and back motion.
●  Now tell them to curve the floss around teeth and move it from up to down for each tooth.
●  Use a clean floss for every tooth and it is a very important step you need to tell your kids.

Turn it into a fun activity

●  Try to make brushing a pleasurable experience.
●  Make brushing a priority and bring it to your kids’ regular habit.
●  Don’t limit the brushing to the washroom, you can expand the brushing arena to turn it into a fun activity.
●  You can make the toothpaste optional.
●  Don’t let brushing become a chore.

Change toothbrushes

●  You need to change your kids’ toothbrushes at least 4 to 5 times a year.
●  Let your kids choose brushes presenting or featuring their favorite cartoon or movie characters to make brushing an interesting activity.
●  Pick and try child-friendly and fun flavors of toothpaste.
●  Always keep in mind to select the brushes made only for a youngster with soft bristles for soft gums and wider handles for little hands.

These are some key steps parents can take to teach their child how to brush and how to floss properly. Starting healthy oral care habits for your kids at early ages can help them to stay away from dental problems. And teaching exact flossing and teaching techniques is the major key to healthy teeth and developing great dental hygiene habits.